LPC president, Luis Felipe Ramos, spoke of his party’s disapproval of the Maduro regime, stating the latter “has no commitment whatsoever to the rule of law and democratic institutions”.

Liberal congressman, Deputy Vlado Mirosevic, added his condemnation of the regime saying, “Government repression has been brutal in Venezuela, and must be stopped”.

Gerardo Espíndola, the recently-elected Liberal mayor in Arica, has also stated, “even ONU (United Nations) has alerted against torture towards the opposition in Venezuela, this abuse must be stopped”.

Ramos and Mirosevic agree on the importance of involving the local leadership in dialogue, rejecting violence on both sides and moving towards a specific and democratic solution to the conflict.

The Chilean Liberal’s critique Nicolás Maduro’s acts of repression come on the back of LI vice-president, Eduardo Montealegre’s damning of the Venezuelan president as “an apprentice dictator” earlier this month. Mr Montealegre called for a return to liberal democratic values in the South American country.